Re: Another Merger Article

now I wonder about the Karl Benson strategy and Farmer's not being so upset with it as he told a group after the switch

I am still not happy with our current setting but I sure thought it would be worse!!!

So, who is going to take the lead in making this happen? There is no benefit in prolonging the inevitable, only allowing expenses to escalate. It appears the AD for MTSU is an advocate within CUSA. How about Dr. S taking the lead within the SBC and the two connecting to start meaningful dialogue towards making this happen sooner rather than later?

Re: Another Merger Article

Originally Posted by HoustonCajun

So, who is going to take the lead in making this happen? There is no benefit in prolonging the inevitable, only allowing expenses to escalate. It appears the AD for MTSU is an advocate within CUSA. How about Dr. S taking the lead within the SBC and the two connecting to start meaningful dialogue towards making this happen sooner rather than later?

I should have said our AD, Dr. Maggard, get with the MTSU AD rather than Dr. S unless this will be headed by the university presidents.

Re: Another Merger Article

Originally Posted by CajunEXPRESS

Right now the SBC financial is in fact much better than CUSA. SBC can absorb two defections, really four because they could reverse themselves on NMSU, and Idaho. Add to the two million exit fee for a smaller payout doesn't make sense.

Sometimes your desire for a new conference overrides the more likely event. Which 2-4 schools are ready to risk affiliation into an already overcrowded CUSA? The overwhelming SBC message board aren't seeing CUSA. Granted these are posters, but most have strong ties to where their schools stando.

All of this is rendered moot by CUSA adding 9 of the 10 SBC FBS schools plus NMSU.

There will be no SBC left to receive exit fees.

The most likely event is that some day in the next 2 or 3 years there will be 1 conference based in the SW and 1 conference based in the SE. There will be the AAC. There will not be a fourth G whatever conference anywhere in this region.

If the votes aren't there for an orderly transition, it is still going to happen.

Re: Another Merger Article

Seems like it should be pretty simple to make a practical transition. I think we need to keep two separate conferences in order to maintain 2 separate automatic post-season bids. Need to keep a core group that has been together the minimum number of years within each conference in order to make that happen and not lose the automatic bids. I would hate to see a single mega-conference with just one auto-bid. That would just give the P-5 another at-large and we lose again.

Re: Another Merger Article

54 pages of not caring on CUSA board...

Too many egos to allow an orderly swap. The Rustonians would probably hold thier nose and pick us over ULM. If that ever happens, don't be surprise suddenly Ruston calls us Louisiana...they will then see their advantage for it in Southern Arkansas.

Re: Another Merger Article

Originally Posted by ZoomZoom

54 pages of not caring on CUSA board...

Too many egos to allow an orderly swap. The Rustonians would probably hold thier nose and pick us over ULM. If that ever happens, don't be surprise suddenly Ruston calls us Louisiana...they will then see their advantage for it in Southern Arkansas.

Nah, that's not going to happen, because it's 'likely' that @ruston moves up to P5.
No, seriously, that was a post on the coosa thread, lol: old techdawg28 has it all figgered out.....

Re: Another Merger Article

Originally Posted by CajunEXPRESS

Right now the SBC financial is in fact much better than CUSA. SBC can absorb two defections, really four because they could reverse themselves on NMSU, and Idaho. Add to the two million exit fee for a smaller payout doesn't make sense.

Sometimes your desire for a new conference overrides the more likely event. Which 2-4 schools are ready to risk affiliation into an already overcrowded CUSA? The overwhelming SBC message board aren't seeing CUSA. Granted these are posters, but most have strong ties to where their schools stando.

There is no exit fee for UL as per our agreement as an original football playing member as per Mike Alden's review of the agreement. Once C-USA lost it's tv revenue package, there is little value of jumping ship other than in a conference with your former conference mates. I don't get caught up in which sports are stronger now or not because those numbers are different yearly. To me it's about geography and playing former conference mates over playing App. State, Georgia Southern or Georgia State. I don't care anymore about those programs than FIU or FAU. As long as we play in the Central Time Zone, I'm okay with it. I don't care about yearly trips to Georgia or North Carolina. Very few people are making those trips.

So, who is going to take the lead in making this happen? There is no benefit in prolonging the inevitable, only allowing expenses to escalate. It appears the AD for MTSU is an advocate within CUSA. How about Dr. S taking the lead within the SBC and the two connecting to start meaningful dialogue towards making this happen sooner rather than later?

I think TJoe will take a leadership role in this but he's not beholden to supporters that I know of. I don't know if the LaTech's president can cross swords with his big supporters in athletics. Tech would be in a conference with two other state schools. But I can't see why someone wouldn't take the reduced travel costs whIle in pursuit of the AAC. I'm not going to hang myself if we lose to an instate school during the journey.

Re: Another Merger Article

Originally Posted by CajunT

There is no exit fee for UL as per our agreement as an original football playing member as per Mike Alden's review of the agreement. Once C-USA lost it's tv revenue package, there is little value of jumping ship other than in a conference with your former conference mates. I don't get caught up in which sports are stronger now or not because those numbers are different yearly. To me it's about geography and playing former conference mates over playing App. State, Georgia Southern or Georgia State. I don't care anymore about those programs than FIU or FAU. As long as we play in the Central Time Zone, I'm okay with it. I don't care about yearly trips to Georgia or North Carolina. Very few people are making those trips.

I wasn't talking about us. Others do have an exit fee. The two GSU, USA, APP St, Coastal, would. Maybe USA exempt but they weren't playing football when the conference football came.

My point is I doubt CUSA is in a command position. IMO it's better and more likely to swap teams to match geography and tradition. Personally I'm not any more excited to play NTex, UTSA, UTEP than App State, and the two GSU.

Re: Another Merger Article

I wasn't talking about us. Others do have an exit fee. The two GSU, USA, APP St, Coastal, would. Maybe USA exempt but they weren't playing football when the conference football came.

My point is I doubt CUSA is in a command position. IMO it's better and more likely to swap teams to match geography and tradition. Personally I'm not any more excited to play NTex, UTSA, UTEP than App State, and the two GSU.

I doubt CUSA can find consensus to kill the SBC.

I would be more excited to play Rice and Southern Miss as part of conference...

LaTech... well. hmmm. Maybe they are a little step up from ULMost. So call em' ULM Lite.

Re: Another Merger Article

Originally Posted by California Cajun

You could see fans traveling and bringing the band to those games. Could also attract TV with a nice crowd if they don't screw up and move it to a weeknight.

I can get excited about an I 10 southern division with some kind of mix of these schools. Would prefer to see UTEP and NMSU move to the MWC. Other than those two schools, every divisional game is driveable and we have a presence in the #1 recruiting city in the country.

I can get excited about an I 10 southern division with some kind of mix of these schools. Would prefer to see UTEP and NMSU move to the MWC. Other than those two schools, every divisional game is driveable and we have a presence in the #1 recruiting city in the country.

Dr. Maggart, let's make it happen.

Louisiana
S.Miss
USA
Rice
Texas State
UTSA

The northern division could include:

La Tech
Ark State
N. Texas
UAB
WKU
MT

A really nice 12 team conference without UTEP and NMSU.

What happens to UTEP and NMSU in that scenario? Why would the MWC want them? That just splits the pie further? What happens to the easterm schools in both leagues? While some move along geographic lines makes sense, i think it is a long way from happening, I know I previously said it would happen at some point. However upon second thought egos and elitism indicate some would rather near bankruptcy than associate with people they believe are beneath them. There is also the matter of fear. Playing USM, Rice, and Tech regularly would be nice for travel to road games. However if that happened those schools could not use the perceived better conference argument against us in recruiting. All those schools fear what we can accomplish were that to occur which is why it won't happen soon. Note I said Perceived better league. Results this year indicate that is mot the case now.

Re: Another Merger Article

Originally Posted by Cajunsmike

What happens to UTEP and NMSU in that scenario? Why would the MWC want them? That just splits the pie further? What happens to the easterm schools in both leagues? While some move along geographic lines makes sense, i think it is a long way from happening, I know I previously said it would happen at some point. However upon second thought egos and elitism indicate some would rather near bankruptcy than associate with people they believe are beneath them. There is also the matter of fear. Playing USM, Rice, and Tech regularly would be nice for travel to road games. However if that happened those schools could not use the perceived better conference argument against us in recruiting. All those schools fear what we can accomplish were that to occur which is why it won't happen soon. Note I said Perceived better league. Results this year indicate that is mot the case now.

Schools will make more sound economic decisions if they want to remain competitive. A solid geographic conference is the solution and they are all coming to grips with that now that their revenue stream is gone. Being in the same state with LA Tech won't stop this any more than it stops similar schools in other states like Miss, Bama, Texas, Virginia, or California. Tech will play with us, not ULM. But then ULM will not be a part of this, nor will Little Rock and UTA. I would prefer to not have UTEP and NMSU in the conference because of travel costs. But, if the MWC doesn't take them, UTEP will remain and will need a travel partner. If they stay, UAB and USA go East, as an example. Hell, WKU and MT may prefer to go east instead of UAB and USA. It's all conjecture at this point as to who goes where, but this will happen in some form. The only other question is timing.

Re: Another Merger Article

Originally Posted by CajunEXPRESS

Boomer I never recalled your venting to exit the SBC. Instead all I've ever seen is patience with any UL decision.

.......Your recollection is very wrong and my worries about the 2 (Tulane and LTUR) getting into a new conference and our staying happened......many on here thought my worries to be not a future happening.......you might be confusing that with my citing Massey and what is now our higher ranking as a conference backed up by money distribution.....I guess it goes back to Nelson the AD and various other administrators over the years!!!

Re: Another Merger Article

Originally Posted by Cajunsmike

What happens to UTEP and NMSU in that scenario? Why would the MWC want them? That just splits the pie further? What happens to the easterm schools in both leagues? While some move along geographic lines makes sense, i think it is a long way from happening, I know I previously said it would happen at some point. However upon second thought egos and elitism indicate some would rather near bankruptcy than associate with people they believe are beneath them. There is also the matter of fear. Playing USM, Rice, and Tech regularly would be nice for travel to road games. However if that happened those schools could not use the perceived better conference argument against us in recruiting. All those schools fear what we can accomplish were that to occur which is why it won't happen soon. Note I said Perceived better league. Results this year indicate that is mot the case now.

Either way I think these events are a win-win for us. If the "elite" teams decide with their wallets, we have a much nicer geographic conference with good away game matchups. If the "elite" teams decide with their ego we continue to grow stronger while they grow weaker, eventually giving us the upper hand in negotiations.

Many people were very upset that UL did not take the full allowance from state money the past few years. That money continues to dwindle much like the tv money dwindled for cusa. Maybe it was an accident and pure luck but that is one of the main reasons we are able to gain momentum.

For the record, I also was one that wanted us to take the full allotment; I am only making an observation here.

Re: Another Merger Article

Originally Posted by moorecajun

Either way I think these events are a win-win for us. If the "elite" teams decide with their wallets, we have a much nicer geographic conference with good away game matchups. If the "elite" teams decide with their ego we continue to grow stronger while they grow weaker, eventually giving us the upper hand in negotiations.

Many people were very upset that UL did not take the full allowance from state money the past few years. That money continues to dwindle much like the tv money dwindled for cusa. Maybe it was an accident and pure luck but that is one of the main reasons we are able to gain momentum.

For the record, I also was one that wanted us to take the full allotment; I am only making an observation here.

Tjoe is a lot smarter than people think ... he saw the witting on the wall 5 years ago

Re: Another Merger Article

Originally Posted by Boomer

.......Your recollection is very wrong and my worries about the 2 (Tulane and LTUR) getting into a new conference and our staying happened......many on here thought my worries to be not a future happening.......you might be confusing that with my citing Massey and what is now our higher ranking as a conference backed up by money distribution.....I guess it goes back to Nelson the AD and various other administrators over the years!!!

I'm not confused. The only thing I recall seeing you saying about LTU or Tulane were observations about who they signed. Maybe that was your way of saying if we were out of the SBC we might've signed these players. But I don't recall you ever saying that plainly.

Either way I think these events are a win-win for us. If the "elite" teams decide with their wallets, we have a much nicer geographic conference with good away game matchups. If the "elite" teams decide with their ego we continue to grow stronger while they grow weaker, eventually giving us the upper hand in negotiations.

Many people were very upset that UL did not take the full allowance from state money the past few years. That money continues to dwindle much like the tv money dwindled for cusa. Maybe it was an accident and pure luck but that is one of the main reasons we are able to gain momentum.

For the record, I also was one that wanted us to take the full allotment; I am only making an observation here.

Had we taken the full allotment for other expenses in athletics the past few years, we may have had the option to use other funds to purchase the production equipment. Tech is none the worse for taking the full allotment, their problem is raising other funds and growing their foundation.